Washington orders US embassy staff, families to leave Saudi Arabia

Washington has instructed US embassy staff and their families to abandon their positions in Saudi Arabia, according to the State Department. This directive was issued on Wednesday, as the nation faces persistent deadly assaults by Yemen's Houthis. Iranian-backed Houthis have escalated their hostility towards Saudi Arabia, engaging in attacks on civilian airports and vital infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties and significant travel disruptions, as stated by State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.

The safety and security of Department personnel and their families are the top priority, according to Pigott. It was also reported that some families of US embassy personnel might be withdrawn from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain. The attacks from the Iran-supported Houthis have increased in Saudi Arabia this month, with strikes on Riyadh's international airport being the kingdom's deadliest in years.

Additionally, a drone attack on an oil facility resulted in the death of two individuals and injuries to two more. Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported intercepting six drones, with one fatality and eight injuries during an attack on Dammam airport in eastern Saudi Arabia. The four-year truce in Yemen's civil war, which began in 2014, has been shattered, reinstituting a conflict that dates back to 2014.

The Saudi-led coalition has supported the internationally recognized government since 2015. Iranian state media reported explosions in Hormozgan province on Wednesday, breaking a period of relative calm. Late February saw the US and Israel launch attacks on Iran, killing Iran's supreme leader and senior military commanders. Iran has sought to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, demanding all ships seek its authorization to cross. In retaliation, the US has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports and ships.